En Passant
by Deadmusewalking
Summary: Erik has a seizure and falls into a coma. He's being kept alive in hopes of recovery. Now Loki is forced to turn to a new resource which has gone missing. During Avengers, slight AU.
1. Introduction

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. Avengers and Thor related characters all belong to Marvel. I borrowed many lines from the movie, Thor, which of course are completely NOT owned by me. This is purely fun from a fan, no intention of stepping on toes.

Author's Note: This story is a practice of character study, namely Loki and Jane. I am attempting to be as close to character as possible, which means romantic notions may not appear until later in the story, if at all.

Edit: 08/18/12 - Minor edits added.

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Space enveloped him in a cold worse than the winters of Jotunheim. It's silence only made the echoes in his mind louder as he fell between the stairs. He kept his eyes closed, unable to shed a tear. His heart felt ripped from his chest, still and twisted.

"_I could have done it, Father! I could have done it! For you! For all of us!" _

"_...No, Loki."_

And he had let go. He saw it in Odin's eyes and it was then that he made up his mind - He wasn't wanted. He was never wanted. Just another relic, another tool for the greater plans of Asgard. What if's started to fly by in his mind. Would things have been different if Thor was never banished? If he just let Thor take the throne, to just stay in the shadows and say nothing? Would he even be happy with the false life he led, to share a family meal again? To play with his brother in the great gardens, to browse the grand studies with his mother, to conjure fantastic gifts to appease his father? Would any of it matter?

A bigger question came to mind - Where did everything go wrong? He had it all planned out. The frost giants would get in the vault, stop the coronation. Then Thor in all his strength and stupidity would show his recklessness and arrogance so Odin would reconsider his first born to be King. It's all he wanted, to be considered. To be Thor's equal.

"_...And what's this sudden new love for the Frost Giants? You! You could have killed them all with your bare hands!"_

"_I've changed."_

"_So have I... Now fight me!"_

He never felt such hate in himself until he had hit his brother. His once-was brother. The overbearing shadower. Something stirred within him. His eyes opened to watch blue and purple orbs fly past, orange suns being born and old ones dying.

"_I never wanted the throne! I only ever wanted to be your equal!"_

"_I WILL NOT FIGHT YOU BROTHER!"_

"_I'm not your brother. I never was."_

"_Loki this is madness!"_

"_Is it madness...? Is it? IS IT!?"_

Something shimmered in the distance. A small brown and blue marble laced with strips of white.

"_Come on, what happened to you on Earth that turned you. So. SOFT!"_

Her honey brown eyes and full bodied hair. A blush and a smile. The way she looked at Thor in child-like awe.

"_Don't tell me it was that woman!"_

Only three days they knew each other and she had wept for him as he went still, his face marred with bloody streaks and broken bones.

"_Oh... It was! Well maybe, when we're done here, I'LL PAY HER A VISIT MYSELF!"_

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Erik looked up at a low rumble somewhere in the distance. Her narrowed his eyes, straining into the night sky of New Mexico. It had been only a few days since Thor left them. It had only been a day since S.H.I.E.L.D sent the very furious Jane off to New York. A line of clouds loomed in the distance. There was no flash of colors, no column of dust. Just the threat of some well needed rain. Erik shook his head, a smile forming on his lips as he recalled last night's argument.

"_Erik, I don't mind staying here alone! I have my research, my trailer... I'm _**fine** _here! Really!"_

"_Jane, I know you want to keep looking."_

"_It's only been a few days! I'm not leaving!"_

"_And I'd welcome you to stay and keep looking but there's more to this now. I'm not the one asking Jane. We're lucky they even let me come back to tell you this."_

_Jane gave a frustrated snarl and ran her hands through her hair. She started to pace. _

"_First they take my stuff! Then they give it back and say I can keep looking! Now they're going back on their word and taking my stuff again-"_

"_Only to New York-"_

"_Where the light pollution is so bad I might as well go off of week old charts and guess! This is where all the portals landed! Here, in New Mexico! If S.H.I.E.L.D wants me to work on finding these portals then why move me?"_

_Erik shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose._

"_I don't know, Jane. They don't tell me much. I don't like it either but-"_

"_But what? Can't you go back and tell them if they want my help I stay here!"_

_A knock on the door made them both look up. Agent Coulson stood in the frame of the car-wide door, his expression one of a professionalism and polite smile. _

"_Ms. Foster? Do you need help packing?" He asked._

_Erik lept forward to grab Jane as she marched towards the agent, her eyes blazing._

"_I'm NOT going anywhere! All my studies have been done here! If you want results, I'm staying!" she shrieked, trying to bat Erik's grip off of her shoulders. _

_Agent Coulson wasn't phased by her tantrum. He continued to give her his polite smile. _

"_It's only a temporary situation, Ms. Foster. We acknowledge that your most noted research has been done here. You can return by the end of the month at the earliest. Currently, these accomidations are considered below standard and at risk of security breach."_

_Jane glared but said nothing._

"_We're moving you for your own safety, Ms. Foster. S.H.I.E.L.D has more enemies than we like to admit and a glass case like this isn't going to keep you safe. I give you my word that you will see New Mexico again."_

And with blunt logic, Jane was now on her way to New York. Erik knew she'd be upset to hear her trailer had been taken away, as well as her truck. S.H.I.E.L.D kept their promise to keep her custom-made equipment at least. He turned away from the coming storm to look over the now empty and dark once was 50's style car dealer ship, leaving it only an echo of it's former purpose, with no clue to the scientific breakthroughs that had happened so recently there.

Suddenly, he shivered, his arms folding across his chest. It wasn't from the small gust of wind that he shivered or the idea that he was about to be taken away to a place where he wouldn't be able to call for help. He shivered because he no longer felt alone. There was an itch in the middle of his back he couldn't reach.

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Loki stayed in his cloak, watching and waiting. His heart writhed with intense hate and violence. This pathetic town with their disgusting mortals. He should have had the Destroyer wipe it off the planet. His fingers twitched, the urge to blow something up was near impossible to resist. He had landed just outside the town in near perfect silence. The coming storm hid his sudden entry into the mortal plane. A smirk tweaked his lips. The storm seemed so perfect and symbolic and yet so ironic.

It took him no time at all to follow the path of destruction into the small town. He chugged his memory each step of the way, gripping onto the smiling face of the woman who had changed everything. He looked forward to making her scream. A cruel grin split his lips. The best part about this simple plan was that Thor, Heimdall and all the other oh so perfect Asgardians could only watch and weep.

The hideous teal building came into view. It was dark and abandoned. His breath hitched. There was no trailer, no lights, no small fire at the roof. There was only an aged human male pacing at the front, waiting for someone or something.

Loki wanted to scream in rage. His breathing came in heavy, quick puffs as he doubled over, his hands clawing at his bemused black hair. She was gone. The woman was gone. A grow escaped his throat and he whipped around, throwing his hands forward with all intentions to level the city in one go.

Nothing happened.

He stared, still breathing heavily. He tried again, sweeping his arms out. No flames, no booms, no screams. He was almost wheezing now with the growing frustration and panic when he realized with a near insane giggle that he no longer held the Odin staff. As powerful as he was in comparison to these lowly creatures of Midgard, causing buildings to spontaneously combust had never been one of his basic powers. He was an illusionist, a trickster.

He turned back to the ugly building and the pacing mortal, watching the old human gaze wistfully at the darkened building. He hadn't noticed him, had he?

Forcing himself to calm down, Loki carefully approached the mortal, studying him. He slowly began to recognize him. This was the older mortal that was with the two females. He was there when the Destroyer attacked. Perhaps he knew where Thor's woman was? He waved a hand in front of the man's face. The only response he got was a shiver and the mortal crossed his arms, suddenly unnerved. But, he couldn't see Loki.

Quickly the God's mind went to work. The plan was just as simple as before - stay with the mortal until he led him to the woman. The two had seemed close. Perhaps he was the woman's father? They didn't look alike. An Uncle, perhaps? Regardless of relation, he understood that the two seemed close. That was all that mattered.

Headlights of a sleek, black Acura washed over the man. He squinted into the lights, a hand raised to half-cover his eyes. The car stopped a few feet away and the back door opened. Someone gave a sharp order to get in. The man obeyed and Loki followed. The inside was just as sleek as the outside - Dark leathers and top of the line technologies the humans so dearly worshiped. Her sneered in disgust.

The windows were pitch black. It was impossible to see the outside world. The mortal man's expression twisted into something sorrowful and worried. Loki waited with him in baited silence as the door closed and the car took off.

Hours passed. The car made minimal turns. Loki continued to watch and scheme, his mind ticking away. A new realization hit him - He was alone, yes, but he was also free to do as he pleased. Free to explore, free to take what he wanted. The only obstacle he could see at the moment was his power. He had not realized how much the Odin staff gave him and how weak he was after the battle with Thor. He would have to find a new power source and soon.

The car finally came to a halt. Loki exited the vehicle, following the man closely as they entered one security gate after another. Finally, one of the many men in black suits pinned a card to the older man's shirt and led him down into a dark labyrinth of piping and wires. He watched the man's face twitch with anticipation. They passed one or two more suits along the way and finally turned one last corner.

"Dr. Selvig." Called a deep voice from the end of the hall.

Dr. Selvig turned his head, staring for half a second with a look of disbelief and shock. Then he stepped forward. Loki glanced over the mortal and caught sight of a human male in all black. His dark complextion was rugged with cold wisdom and battle. A solid eye patch hid his right eye.

"So you're the man behind all this?" Dr. Selvig said, still walking forward. "Why the labyrinth?"

No answer.

"I was thinking" Dr. Selvig continued, a nervous smile and chuckle growing on his face. "They're taking me down here to kill me."

He came to a halt just feet away from the black-clad mortal. Loki stopped a foot behind Selvig, watching curiously. Dr. Selvig's nervous chuckling died quickly and the smile fled from his face as the other mortal began to walk forward.

"I've been hearing about the New Mexico situation." said the dark man. "Your work has impressed a lot of people who are much smarter than I am."

"I have a lot to work with." Dr. Selvig replied. "The Foster Theory. A gateway to another dimension... It's unprecedented."

Loki stared. Foster Theory? Gateways? Surely these simplistic and barbaric creatures couldn't have figured out how to cross space and time so quickly? The Bifrost had visited Migard plenty of times but each time it had been a wondrous miracle in these creatures minds. They were Gods to be worshiped, Gods that flew to them in a flurry of colors and shining armor! So how could the humans of this modern era take one look at the Bifrost and suddenly understand?

"Isn't it?" Dr. Selvig asked, his brows furrowing. The other mortal turned away from him and headed for a clean steel table, an equally clean steel case resting on it. It was then that Loki felt a lurch in his gut and he closed his eyes, taking a breath.

Something lay inside. Something of wonder and power. He suddenly felt like a child about to receive his first present and he followed the two mortals up to the case.

"Legend tells us one thing" said the dark man. " History, another."

The mortal rounded the table, placing his scarred hands on the case.

"But every now and then we find something that belongs to both."

And he opened the case.

Loki bit back a groan as a wave of infinite power and knowledge washed over him. Clearly these lesser creatures had _no_ idea what they were holding. Stars and suns flashed before the Gods' eyes and he had to shake his head to clear away the taste of cube's aura. It could be _his_! But what a chore it would be to rule the stars... No. One planet would satisfy him.

And then an idea formed. It was perfect. Everything he needed was right here, save for the buying party.

The cube crackled, its bluish hue like ice. Dr. Selvig shook his head and looked up.

"What is it?"

_Stupid mortals_ Loki thought.

"Power, Doctor." replied the other mortal. "If we can figure out how to tap it, maybe _unlimited_ power."

Okay, maybe they weren't _completely_ stupid. As Dr. Selvig looked up to stare in awe at his companion, Loki ushered up a spell and stepped up just behind the doctor. He glanced to the side and noticed his reflection. His skin was sallow and dirty, his eyes hollow and glassy. He grinned to his reflection and whispered a word of power:

"Well I guess that's worth a look."

And like a puppet, the mortal in front of him parroted him, smile and all.

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Author's note: Comments and feedback appreciated.


	2. Chapter one

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. Avengers and Thor related characters all belong to Marvel. I borrowed many lines from the movie, Thor, which of course are completely NOT owned by me. This is purely fun from a fan, no intention of stepping on toes.

Edit: 08/18/12 – Chapter has been properly edited and updated.

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_One week later..._

"You have GOT to be kidding me!" Jane snapped. She slammed a heavily used notebook onto her paper-piled desk in frustration. Agent Coulson gave an apologetic shake of his head, the everlasting polite smile still on his face. He should consider himself lucky that he decided to contact her via Skype, she thought, instead of personally visiting her.

"I'm surprised, Ms. Foster." Agent Coulson replied. "I thought you'd be elated to present your findings to the scientific community."

"And get laughed at again? Half of my findings are supposed to be under wraps anyways." Jane shot back.

Agent Coulson ignored her, momentarily looking away from the camera on his own end, the sound of him typing barely audible. Her fax machine suddenly beeped to life and began spitting out paper.

"I'm sending over a few do's and don't's, as well as an outline of your trip. Your flight leaves in three hours. An agent will be by in the next hour to pick you up and escort you to your jet. Enjoy your stay in Tromso." He gave one last curt nod in farewell and the screen went blank.

Jane fell back in her seat, an exasperated sigh escaping her. S.H.I.E.L.D. had given her an amazing amount of funding to continue her research. She didn't even have to worry about living expenses anymore. However, she felt like a bird with clipped wings. S.H.I.E.L.D was bouncing her all over the world whenever they wanted and there was nothing she could do about it. It was infuriating.

A buzzing from her desk alerted her to her cell phone coming to life and she snapped it up from the desk, quickly glancing at the ID. A small smile crept onto her face and she thumbed over "Accept", grateful for the small distraction.

"Hey Darcy."

Darcy had finished the requirements for the six credits at the end of last week. She'd moved back to her University when Jane was sent away to New York. Despite the two girls' clashing personalities, they still kept in touch with a friendly text or two. Jane kept the phone pressed to her ear as she rushed around her office to gather the papers Coulson had sent along with her own required notes. Jane only paused when Darcy finally asked about Thor.

"No sign of him yet." Jane said, her heart aching. She missed him. She missed his big muscles, his goofy smile, his beautiful eyes. Most of all, she missed holding him. When he flew her to the gateway site, she had never felt so free and safe at the same time. She felt like a pining puppy scratching at a locked door. Unfortunately, anymore daydreaming would have to wait as she noticed the time on her clock.

"Hey, Darcy," she interrupted "Sorry to cut you off, it's great to hear from you and all but I need to get packing."

A pause as she listened.

"Yeah, S.H.I.E.L.D's putting me on the move again. It's pretty annoying."

More talking from Darcy. Jane rolled her eyes and smirked.

"As much as I'd love to tell the agents where to stick their guns, they're still funding my research. I'll give you a text later when I land. Mhmm... Mhm. Right. Okay, well, good luck in your classes. Talk to you later."

She hung up and quickly began packing.

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Loki pulled back from his mental meeting with The Other in a grunt of agony. It took a lot to unnerve the God of Mischief, but the employer of the Chitauri knew how to make his point. The sounds of the abandoned Subway station, now a crude, make-shift laboratory, returned to clarity. Humans decked in heavy armor or lab coats darted between the equipment with brisk purpose. Loki took a breath and stood, scepter in hand, and turned to once again inspect his prize.

Inside a sealed clear case as tall as an average human was the Tesseract, held secure in the steel jaws of the portal prototype. Dr. Erik Selvig checked a computer screen, muttered an order to another scientist and moved to the entrance of the case. He looked worse for wear; his skin was sallow and pale and he'd lost a good amount of hair since being shown the new light of truth.

Nearby, Agent Barton was rechecking his equipment. Both he and Dr. Selvig looked up with wide obedient stares as their master approached, an unnatural blue light glinting in the depths of their eyes.

"This cube... it's amazing. It's shown me so much, it's... it's just truth..." Dr. Selvig said with a wide smile. Loki smiled back.

"It is magnificent, isn't it?" he purred. "How is your progress coming?"

Dr. Selvig turned back and pointed at one of the screens.

"We're going to need a decent amount of Iridium to get a stable core for the fusion reactor." he said. Loki tilted his head, peering at the racing numbers on the screen. Agent Barton stood and cleared his throat and Loki turned to him.

"There's a German professor in Stuttgart who's been working with a large resource of the stuff. His keeps his personal vault on site at the University."

Loki inclined his head.

"And what do you need me to do?"

Agent Barton turned and pulled his favored compound bow from the back of a truck.

"I'll need a distraction. And an eyeball."

Loki flashed a menacing grin.

And then suddenly from behind him came a crash and lots of shouting. Agent Barton's stoic expression flickered, his blue-tinted eyes glancing to the floor behind his master. Loki whipped around.

Dr. Selvig was on the ground, spasming violently. Two other technicians were at his side, checking his vitals and trying to get him on his side. Agent Barton spat out a few choice words and put his bow aside. Then he darted past Loki and crouched next to one of the lab techs.

"We need to get him stable. Now." Agent Barton barked. Loki stepped aside, watching in a mix of fascination and horror at what was happening to his head scientist. It always amazed him at how frail mortals were. Two military-dressed humans arrived with a gurney. Dr. Selvig finally went still, the convulsions subsiding. Everyone waited with baited breaths.

"...He's not waking up." Agent Barton confirmed as the doctor was moved to the gurney and rushed to the make-shift medical facility. Loki looked sharply at Agent Barton.

"I need him. Alive." he hissed.

"Yes sir. The doctors will try and recover him as quickly as possible. Do we have a back up plan to go with for now?" Agent Barton asked.

Loki took in a deep breath, his eyes roaming the cement ceiling as he fished his brain for a temporary solution.

"We will go to Stuttgart. No reason not to get what we need."

"And if Selvig dies?"

Loki closed his eyes, teeth gritted. He rounded on Agent Barton, his voice dropping to a very low and dangerous hiss. "That's not an option."

"There's always Foster." Agent Barton pointed out. His bow was back in his hands. Loki peered into the brain-washed eyes of his pawn, his gaze unwavering.

"Any idea of her whereabouts?" He asked, his voice somewhat less dangerous, though he still stared unblinking.

"Not at the moment sir, but we've got a hacker tapping into S.H.I.E.L.D's database as we speak."

Loki licked his lips, his breath quickening.

"I want to be informed immediately when she's found."

Barton simply gave a small nod and turned to his men, issuing orders to see that everything went according to plan.

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	3. Chapter two

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. Avengers and Thor related characters all belong to Marvel. I borrowed many lines from the movies, Thor and Marvels The Avengers, which of course are completely NOT owned by me. This is purely fun from a fan, no intention of stepping on toes. PS: Updates are very slow at the moment due to me being on a cruise in the Caribbeans. Very much preoccupied.

Author's note: 08/18/12 – My wonderful husband has kindly sifted through my chapters and fixed them up. I'll update again this upcoming week. We've also returned from our cruise so I'll have more time to write. Note, you do not have to re-read the chapters unless you wish to, nothing new was really added.

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Agent Barton shoved the last box into the black van and slammed the back doors shut. He turned in time to see some faceless mercenary in full armor approach him.

"Sir." the merc saluted. "We've got something."

Agent Barton nodded. "Show me. Make it fast, we leave in twenty for the airway."

The merc led the archer through the rows of arm thick cables and buzzing boxes. At the end of of the last row sat a young man with scraggly short brown hair with a thin pale face and small brown eyes. He was hunched over multiple keyboards and shoved aside his eighth cup of coffee that night to finish a code. All around him hung multiple large monitors, each showing something different. The largest in the center was divided up into smaller boxes, most of them filled with cascading numbers. One box stood out from the others – A stuttering, desaturated security screen that had frozen with the face of a young woman.

"So you found her." Agent Barton said, recognizing the face of Jane Foster. The hacker gave a grunt at the back of his throat but kept focused on his task.

"They were just about to send her off to Tromso, Norway." said the merc. "The boy here is trying to send a false signal and have her rerouted to Stuttgart."

Agent Barton gave a curt nod. Suddenly the hacker spat out a few choice curses and his fingers flew across the keyboard. A small light started blinking red nearby. Agent Barton and the merc stared, watching with mild fascination despite not really understanding what was happening. The hacker licked his dry lips, slamming the enter key multiple times.

"...And... GOT IT!" He cheered, leaning back in his chair with a clap of his hands.

"Wanna share?" Agent Barton growled.

"I just rerouted Foster's location before S.H.I.E.L.D could knock me out of the system. She's on her way to Germany as we speak."

And then all his monitors went dead, the crest of S.H.I.E.L.D spinning lazily in each of them. The hacker screamed, gripping his hair, then started slamming his hands on the keyboard. Finally he leaned down and unplugged his computers.

Agent Barton ignored the cursing hacker and turned. He barked a small order to the merc before returning to the van and climbing next to Loki.

"They found her. She'll be in the city when we retrieve the items." Agent Barton reported. A mad grin crossed Loki's face, his eyes glittering with excitement.

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"You have reached the voice mail of... Eric Selvig... please leave a message after the beep."

Jane drew the cell phone away from her ear to glare at the thing like everything was its fault. She had just landed in Stuttgart, Germany and was on her way to her temporary living conditions (A classy but not too over the top hotel in the middle of the city) when she had decided to give her old friend and mentor a call. He hadn't picked up or returned any of her calls. No luck with her emails either.

With a disappointed sigh, Jane hung up without leaving a message. His voice mail box was full anyways. She knew he had been busy with whatever new project S.H.I.E.L.D had dragged him into but would it kill for him to at least email her a little 'Hello I'm okay'?

Sitting across from her in the bullet proof Acura was a middle-aged suit provided by S.H.I.E.L.D. and like most suits from S.H.I.E.L.D., he proved to be poor conversation. The most he would give was a grunt or nod of his head. Instead of personally informing her of the sudden change of plans, Jane was handed a manila envelope of freshly printed papers signed "TOP SECRET" for her to read. From what she understood, someone had managed to get into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s system and trace her supposed safe house. Some safe house that turned out to be.

Plan B was Germany and in the interest of making the agitated young scientist happy, she was assigned tickets to a lecture at the local University on the physics of space particles. She was promised good clothing and protection, as well as a translator.

_Well, at least they know how to keep a girl interested._ Jane though, her eyes glancing over to the dress that was picked out for her. She was itching to take the dry cleaning bag off to see what color it was. Sure, Jane wasn't exactly the most prim and proper girly girl out there but even she had to squee a little at the idea of a free dress and jewelery.

The car pulled up to the hotel and the silent suit let her out.

"You have an hour to prepare. The lecture starts at seven."

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Jane blinked down at herself, not entirely sure what to think. She wore a medium blue V-necked, ruched dress that cut off just above the knee and matching high heeled shoes that did _not_ agree with her feet. Silver dotted the lobes of her ears and a thin, matching necklace gave her a simple but elegant touch. Classy but the pain didn't feel worth it. She had no time to send a complaint, however, as she was ushered back into the car an hour later.

Rush hour was just at its tail end when they entered the University side of Stuttgart. Cars honked and lights flashed as people tried to fit in and out of the sudden grid lock just half a block away from the building the lecture was being held in. Already Jane could see well dressed couples with clear wealth and style crossing the cobblestone streets and up the stairs to the well lit halls ahead.

As the car inched slowly forward through traffic, something caught Jane's eye. A flash of silver on black. She did a double-take and found herself peering at a very tall man with shoulder-length raven hair and a pricey suit of deep emerald. In his long hands he held a unique looking cane. He looked too young to be casually carrying around such an expensive looking ornament.

The man was glancing around, fixing his collar and ribbon-scarf of silver and emerald. He looked up from a crowd at a cafe and to the large and old building across the way. Then suddenly Jane found herself looking into glassy green eyes. She gave a start and quickly looked away, unnerved. The strangers eyes were wild, feral and yet somehow wiser than any normal human. She shuttered, rubbing her arms.

"Ma'am?" asked her guard, another faceless suit. He was raising a brow at her in query. Jane forced a smile and a half shrug.

"Just cold. We're close enough, can we just walk?" she asked. In response, the guard opened the door and helped her out. Jane looked around in a moment of wonder at the old buildings and streets. She and her guard quickly blended in with the crowd and were up the stairs and inside in moments. All the while, she continued to look from person to person, looking for the raven haired man.

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The night crawled by slowly. For the most part, Jane stayed off to the side with her ever silent guard and gave those who passed small smiles and a nod. She didn't know much German beyond "Gesundheit" whenever someone sneezed, so she simply waited and glanced around as she waited for the lecture to start. She had to admit, the room was impressive, fashioned with great columns of marble and a bold black carved pedestal featuring two oxen in the center of the room.. When the lecture finally started, she put her half-empty glass of champagne aside to pay attention to the speaker. A small screen dropped down just behind a middle aged German man. As he began to speak, his words were translated into English on the screen behind him.

About ten minutes into the speech, something went wrong. Very wrong. A loud 'crack' caught everyone's attention, save for a few people at the front and the speaker who was thumbing through his notes at the podium. Jane felt her mouth drop open as the raven haired man appeared, knocking aside a guard with a mere swing of his cane. Marching up to an elderly gentleman, a mad gleam in his eyes, he ignored the startled yells of the crowd as he threw the elderly man onto his back across the oxen statue. The tall man quickly drew some kind of silver device that made a keening whine and brought it down onto the man's face. The next thing Jane knew, the room was screaming as blood spattered onto the floor.

At this point Jane felt her mind melt into the instinct of survival. She fled with all the others, out of the building and down the stairs. She dared a glance over her shoulder in time to see her personal guard draw his 9mm and fire off two shots. To Jane's horror and astonishment, the bullets hit but did absolutely _nothing_. The third shot went wide as the mad man reached the guard and did a perfect swing to his head. The guard's skull cracked open in a short splatter of scarlet. Jane looked forward again, her heart slamming against her ribcage and her breath coming in short, painful bursts as she made her escape.

Just past the stairs, wrong went to hellish. Screams jumped to higher notes as the attacker suddenly walked out of thin air and calmly through the crowd. The air around him glowed as his suit transformed into dark leather covered with shining golden armor, and the cane grew out into an ornate staff topped with a curved spear tip. A gold helm with great curving horns materialized on his head, adding another foot to his already impressive height. To make things worse, a second version of him appeared directly in front of the crowd. Like herded sheep, everyone veered right, only to be forced into the center of the square when a third and fourth menacing figure materialized.

Jane grunted with pain as she was pushed aside and her heels finally got the better of her. With a twist of her ankle, Jane fell forward and to the cobblestone ground. Pain shot up her arms and knees as she landed. There was no point in getting up though. A cold voice suddenly roared above the screaming.

"Kneel!"

People continued to clamber around, only one or two obeying as they were boxed in. A look of minor irritation passed on all four visages, and in unison all four stepped forward and slammed the pommel of their staves into the ground.

"I said...KNEEL!"

Silence finally fell over the people as everyone went to their knees, trembling. Jane gave a small gasp as she shifted her weight and tried to get up. A woman next to her grabbed her and pulled her back down, shaking her head. Tears splashed down the woman's face. Jane couldn't blame her. Whoever this guy was, he clearly wasn't human. His golden armor almost seemed familiar with its general design. She dared a glance up as the man slowly waded through the crowd, speaking in a soft voice. His words were blunt and demeaning, like a father speaking to his children who had just done something bad.

"Is this not your rightful place? Is this..." he gazed over the crowd, now smiling. "not simpler?"

Jane gritted her teeth. She _hated_ feeling helpless. These people didn't need this bullshit. She looked up from the corner of her eyes at the man, who had paused right next to her. He was still looking over the heads of everyone, smiling. She got a better look at his golden armor and something clicked. Then, with a deep breath, she gingerly go to her feet and glared daggers at him. He slowly turned his head to face her, his smile never wavering. In fact, it only grew.

"Well well... Ms. Jane Foster." He purred.

"Let me guess. Loki." she snapped. He inclined his head in a mocking half bow. Maybe it was the champagne talking, maybe it was the hysteria of the situation; whatever it was, Jane blamed it for what she was about to do next.

A resounding clang echoed through the square as her hand came across his face. Oh. Right. Helmet. Her hand hurt like hell and her slap had utterly no affect on him except to wipe the smile from his face. A few people gave tiny gasps and some were even daring to get off their knees to get a better look.

"You have NO right to be doing this to us!" Jane breathed, surprised that she still had her voice.

Loki started to giggle and he looked back down at her, a wide and insane smile returning.

"I can see why my brother is so enamored with you." he snickered, then suddenly his smile was gone and his hand was wrapped around her throat. Jane managed one last gasp of air before she found herself half a foot off the ground, struggling to breathe.

"And I, my dear, have every right to be doing this to your pathetic, self-destructive race. You mortals claw away for meaningless prizes and knowledge none of you could possibly understand." He leaned in and drew her closer, their noses inches away. His eyes narrowed.

"Not even you, little star gazer, could understand the greater things of this-"

CLANG!

Jane dropped to the ground as Loki's grip suddenly released and his head snapped to the side. A blur of red, blue and white whizzed over the crowd. The next thing Jane knew everyone was cheering as a muscled figure clad in blue landed and caught the flying disc-shaped object. He glared up at Loki and began to walk forward through the parting crowd.

"Back in my time, a gentleman always treated ladies with respect." Strapping what was now obviously a round red, white, and blue shield to his arm, he put himself between Jane and her assailant.

With a short buzz, the other images of Loki vanished. People immediately fled from the remaining figure, who was now advancing towards the star-spangled man. Everyone except for Jane, who was still too stunned to move. She gawked at the hero, who took a defensive stance. Loki gave another crazy giggle.

"The soldier." he sneered. In the blink of an eye his staff came down over his head only to glance off the shield. The loud 'gong' sound brought some sense back into Jane and she decided to make herself scarce while the opportunity was present. Keeping her head low, Jane limped away from the fighting. A glance over her shoulder told her the hero wasn't doing so well.

"Loki, put _down_ the scepter!" ordered a woman's voice over a PA system. The wind shuffled heavily as a high-grade military craft hovered just over square, a Gatling gun at the ready from its underside. Jane gave a small squeak and covered her head with her hands, diving behind a bench. She peeked out through the slats to watch Loki smack the hero away and point the tip of the scepter up towards the plane. A ball of crackling blue energy streaked from the tip, clipping the wing. The aircraft wavered in the air before stabilizing, but just barely.

The PA system crackled for a second, then a long, loud note of a guitar riff peeled out. The confusion was evident on everyone's face, save for the patriotic hero, whose shoulders slumped ever so slightly in...exasperation? In a flash of white energy, Loki was suddenly knocked off his feet. The scepter flew out of his hand and clattered across the square. A metallic red and gold figure streaked down from the sky and landed with a cobblestone-cracking thud. Jane gave a gasp, her eyes widening.

"Show's up, reindeer game." The one and only Tony Stark taunted, his voice echoing through the PA system. White energy glowed in the palm of each gauntleted hand. To Jane's astonishment, Loki carefully got to his knees and raised his hands slowly behind his head. His armor faded away in a glimmer of gold. Stark put his hands down.

"Good boy."

The blue hero picked up the staff and approached Jane.

"Ma'am, are you okay?" he called out. Jane stood up, wincing at the pressure on her twisted ankle. She nodded at him, speechless. In a gentlemanly fashion, he offered her his hand for support. Jane gladly accepted and they approached Stark.

"Stark. I didn't know Fury called you in." said the blue hero, warily appraising the expressionless mask of Tony's incredible armor.

"Captain." Stark replied shortly. "You should know by now Fury doesn't say a whole lot to anyone."

Their conversation was cut off by the landing of the aircraft. The loading ramp opened and a slender woman with shoulder-length red hair stepped out, shouting over the wind.

"Boys, can we save the pleasantries for later?" her eyes caught Jane's and they narrowed down to a glare. Swearing, the woman turned away and began talking quickly in her ear piece.

"Lets get you inside." said the Captain and he escorted Jane on board.

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One more note: Another big round of applause and thanks to my husband for joining in on this project. He's a great editor.


	4. Chapter three

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. Avengers and Thor related characters all belong to Marvel. I borrowed many lines from the movies, Thor and Marvels The Avengers, which of course are completely NOT owned by me. This is purely fun from a fan, no intention of stepping on toes.

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Jane shivered in her seat, trying to keep her eyes focused anywhere but on...him. Captain America, or Steve Rogers as he eventually introduced himself, was kind enough to stand in front of her, keeping her mostly out of Loki's view. He warily glanced at the silent god before meeting the gaze of Tony, who had just lifted the mask of his suit. The eccentric genius did however position himself within arms reach of Loki, just in case. Jane hunkered down in her seat with a sigh.

"Something's up." murmured Steve in a low enough voice for only Tony and Jane to hear. "The guy packs a wallop, I don't get why he just gave up like that."

Tony gave Loki a calculating glance and muttered a reply from the corner of his mouth. "As good as we are, yeah, it doesn't make much sense."

Loki in the meanwhile kept still and slouched over in his seat. Every now and then his eyes would flicker up in Jane's general direction. At one point Tony caught this and gave a sardonic smirk.

"Hey, not sure what habits you have from where ever you're from, but it's rude to keep glancing at a lady when she's clearly said no." He turned to Jane. "Nice slap, by the way. I think I heard that from across town." Tony flashed Jane a rakish grin and she went slightly red.

Steve folded his arms and huffed a sigh, his gaze fixated on Loki for a good minute before he looked over his shoulder and down at Jane.

"How are you holding up, Ms. Foster?" he asked in a soft voice.

Jane managed a shrug but that was about it. The growing turbulence of the craft was making her early dinner churn.

"Foster... as in the Foster Theory, right?" Tony asked, jabbing an index finger in her direction. Jane nodded, her blush growing. Tony chuckled.

"I gotta say, it was a hard theory to believe at first but I could see where you were coming from. At least you have the proof now. Sucks that it comes in the form of tall, dark and emo." He gestured to Loki who finally looked up and gave a small glare at Tony. Jane cleared her throat and took a deep breath, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Actually... it was proven when Thor came to Earth." she said. This got a scoff out of Loki and everyone took their time to give him a nice, long 'shut the hell up' glare.

"Speaking of which..." A voice came from the front of the craft. The red-headed woman that Steve had simply introduced as "Natasha" paused for a moment to flip a switch or two above her as the craft gave another shake. "Have there been any signs of the other one? Any idea if he's a friendly or not? I don't think we could handle another one of _him_." She jerked her head slightly over her shoulder in Loki's direction.

At this, Jane puffed up a little and jutted her jaw out in a stubborn fashion. The brusque woman had said little since they'd boarded, only occasionally glaring back at Jane. "Thor saved my life and the lives of everyone in Puente Antiguo from that _thing_ he sent." Jane dared to look around Steve to give Loki her hardest look of the night. Loki simply smiled. His smile wasn't around for very long. A flash of lighting and a loud clap of thunder made everyone instinctively duck in their seats.

"Dammit!" cursed the redhead, who was now pressing more buttons and switches. "Where the hell did this storm come from?"

Another bang rocked the craft again and Jane gave a small scream and barely managed to stop herself from grabbing onto Steve. She quickly flattened herself deeper into her seat and started looking for a way to tighten the safety harness. Even Steve and Tony had to find something to hold onto in order to remain stable. Loki looked around with wide eyes, his pale face going even paler.

"What's wrong?" called Steve, a wry smile on his face. "Afraid of a little lightning?"

"I'm not generally fond of what follows." Loki replied. Jane's ears perked and she suddenly sat up in her seat, her breath gone. A loud 'thump' caught everyone's attention and they all looked up at the ceiling in unison. Tony narrowed his eyes and flipped his mask back down. Steve jammed his fist on the bay door release button and the ramp slowly folded down, wind and rain whipping through the cabin. Just as Tony stepped forward to investigate, a large man in dark metallic armor and a familiar crimson cape landed on the ramp. Jane nearly threw herself out of her seat. She wanted to cry, to yell for him, but the rushing wind that had blown in had frozen her voice.

Loki looked completely stunned. There was nothing he could do as the red-caped man Jane knew and loved lunged in and grabbed his brother by the collar, dragging him out of his seat. He paused, catching sight of Jane. Their eyes met only for a second. Then Thor dragged Loki down the ramp and into the storm. Tony muttered a few colorful words of his own and started down the ramp.

"Wait, Stark!" Steve yelled over the torrent of wind. "We need a plan of attack!"

"I have a plan." Tony replied, his boosters lighting up. "Attack."

With that, he dove out of the aircraft and disappeared from sight. Jane gaped out of the ramp way, tears freezing on her cheeks. A small part of her felt just a little bit hurt. The rest of her was a mix of confusion and joy. Thor was back. She understood he had a duty to attend to his rogue brother, which was probably the real reason why he was back. That's where the hurt came in; how did he get back? When did he return? Why didn't he come back sooner? Why couldn't he have at least said her name?

Steve's sudden motion towards the parachutes knocked Jane back to reality. She looked up as the Captain grabbed a pack and strapped it on.

"I'd sit this one out, Cap." Natasha called from the cockpit, hitting the switch to close the ramp. "These guys come from legend, they're practically Gods."

Steve finished adjusting the parachute and called over his shoulder. "There's only one God, ma'am, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that." He leaped out into the storm before the ramp could finish closing. Natasha gave a roll of her eyes and focused back on flying. Jane sat huddled in her seat, suddenly feeling very alone.

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Loki gave a loud grunt and started coughing from the harsh landing his "brother" had given him. Thor stood, Mjolnir humming loudly in one hand. His blue eyes blazed with a new-found fury and Loki started to laugh.

"Oh, I've missed you too, brother." he chucked sarcastically. Thor bared his teeth, his grip tightening around the hilt of his hammer.

"I had come in hopes of bringing you home and stopping you on this futile dream." he growled.

Loki sat up, one dark brow quirked. "Had?"

The hammer landed inches away from his hand. He barely flinched as Thor roared out his next words.

"What have you done to Jane!?"

Loki flashed him his best smile. "Jane? Oh, the little mortal you feel so strongly for?"

Thor backed off a step as Loki got to his feet, brushing off his leathers. "Truth be told, I'm not sure where to start." he purred. "Should it be when I found her in the desert or in the city?"

Thor started to pace, his restlessness building quickly. "Do not speak your lies to me, brother. I am in no mood for games. I have come with a purpose-"

"So have I!" Loki hissed. "And just how much dark energy did the All-father have to conjure up to send you here? I wouldn't be surprised if he had fallen into the Odinsleep. You do seem to have a way for making your father do that."

"_Our _Father-" Thor started. Loki cut him off with a sharp gesture of his hand.

"_Your_ Father. Or did he not tell you my true heritage?" he snarled. Thor watched Loki pace past him and down the cliff side. Thor carefully followed, his ire finally waning.

"He told me and I do not care. What happened to you? Do you not remember that we played together, that we fought together? Does any of that matter?" Thor asked, sorrow replacing his rage. Loki turned on his heel, his lips now a thin line.

"All I remember is a shadow. Your shadow. And all the slights." For a moment his insane smile came back. "Did you mourn?" he crowed. Thor's shoulders slumped.

"We all did." he replied. Loki snorted and paced back up the cliff side, turning sharply on his heel as he reached the edge.

"You cannot stop this." he snapped. "I am destined to be King-"

Thor stepped forward, a hand reaching out to take his brother's shoulder gently. Loki shook it off with a snarl.

"Loki. Stop this. This is not your place, not here. You will only bring Midgard to ruin, and I have sworn to protect these people and their realm." He reached out again and cupped his large hands gently around his brother's neck, forcing him to meet his eyes. "Come _home_, brother. We miss you."

Loki swatted Thor's hands away with another snarl. "Brilliant job you're doing, protecting this pathetic planet. These mortals do more damage to themselves with their nonsensical wars and avarice."

Thor once again back peddled a step to give Loki personal space. "Loki. Please."

Loki chuckled and crossed his arms. "Please? The mighty Thor, begging? Did you learn that from your little pet? You should have seen the way she begged when I-"

"Leave Jane OUT of this!" Thor rumbled. Loki giggled, clearly enjoying Thor's reactions.

"And why should I? After all, she's the key to everything now. And perhaps as a reward for her services she'll be honored to warm her new King's bed at night."

Mjolnir hit him square in the face, knocking him flat on his back. The hammer returned to Thor's hand in a few short seconds and he advanced on his brother, who was still giggling through hands that covered his nose.

"Now, you will listen and you will listen very closely for I shall only say this once-" Thor began. He never finished his threat. A blur of scarlet and gold knocked him off the cliff before he could do anything else. Loki sat up, pinching his bleeding nose. He blinked and looked around.

"I'm listening?"

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Author's notes: If you didn't catch my updated notes on the previous chapters, my husband has kindly edited the previous three chapters. Nothing significant has been added so it's only optional if you want to re-read the previous chapters. Another round of applause and thanks to my wonderful husband for helping me on this project.


	5. Chapter four

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. Avengers and Thor related characters all belong to Marvel. I borrowed many lines from the movies, Thor and Marvels The Avengers, which of course are completely NOT owned by me. This is purely fun from a fan, no intention of stepping on toes.

Author's note: Okay. So I know the previous chapters have been at least amusing for some and more of a brain jogger of how Avengers went. I'd like to say that this is the last chapter that carries heavy scenes from the Avengers. The story has been like the start of a coaster – Slow at first since you're going up hill. Well, ladies and gents, welcome to the crest of the hill. The chapters are going to get longer and the story more progressive.

Enjoy the ride.

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The Helicarrier was just as impressive inside as it was out. Natasha had been given the all clear to continue on to base without 'the package', so instead of waiting for the brawling heroes, they had flown on. One short hour later Jane was still trying to comprehend that a craft this large could float when she was asked to follow a security team into the depths of the Helicarrier. That was how she found herself sitting in a bland steel room with hard chairs and an even harder man sitting across from her.

"Ms. Foster. I'm Director Fury. Welcome aboard." Greeted Fury in a snappy, business-like tone that was not at all welcoming. Jane couldn't help but feel slightly unnerved. It also didn't help that she was still getting flat looks from Natasha, who stood just behind Fury's right at attention.

"Now I'm sure you're well aware we have a slight problem on our hands. No point in hiding it since you were there when he attacked in Stuttgart." continued Fury. "However, I hope you understand that this means relocation again, this time under tighter security measures."

Jane had been expecting something like this. However, she managed to put on her most stubborn look and lean forward slightly in her chair.

"If it's all the same to you, Director Fury, I think I'd be more useful here." she replied smoothly.

Fury raised an eyebrow, the one not obscured by an eye patch. "And just what makes you think that, Ms. Foster?"

Jane opened her mouth to reply, then paused. What _could_ she do here? She wasn't a fighter, she was an Astrophysicist. She tried again to speak, looking for some grounding argument that could keep her here but nothing was coming to mind. Slowly it dawned on her that she was very much out of her league here. The barest of smiles crossed Fury's face but the mirth didn't meet his one good eye.

"Ms. Foster, you're currently our only major Achilles heel. Loki targeted you because of your relationship to Thor. We need Thor on our side and with no distractions." Fury stated, the matter clearly closed. Jane slumped back in her seat, defeated.

"We'll have you moved within six hours." Fury said, rising from his chair and motioning Natasha to follow them. "In the meantime, you've been assigned to one of the spare bunks in the crew quarters."

"Can I see Thor?" Jane asked. Fury's squared his jaw, his eye narrowing.

"He's on the bridge. Make it fast." He said with a short nod. Jane stood and followed the director out of the room and down the winding corridors. Pausing at a corridor intersection, Fury looked back over his shoulder. "Agent Romanoff, keep her close." He waited long enough to see Natasha's silent nod before disappearing down a stairway into the inner most guts of the carrier.

Natasha gave Jan an emotionless stare. "This corridor will take us to the bridge. Don't take any detours" she ordered before nodding at her to continue. She rode on Jane's heels all the way to the bridge, saying nothing else on their way there. Jane fumbled as they entered the bridge, awed at the sight. The massive windows gave a clear view of the rising sun just ahead of them. Mountains of sherbet orange and hazy pink clouds towered around the craft. The design of the bridge was just as amazing, albeit less colorful. Everything was either white, steel or tinted with blues. Nearly every console was occupied by toughened agents hard at work.

"Take a seat, Ms. Foster." Natasha ordered, suddenly appearing at her side without a sound. Jane did as she was told and took a seat at the indicated large table on the upper deck. She was soon joined by Steve Rogers and a wiry looking man with glasses, black hair and a dark purple shirt that Jane immediately recognized as Bruce Banner, a leader in the field of nuclear physics. He simply nodded at her, standing silently as Natasha took her seat at a nearby console.

Finally, Thor entered. He chose to remain standing as he looked around the bridge. His bright blue eyes swept over Jane and he paused. The two stared at each other for a long moment. Jane rose out of her seat, her eyes starting to water. Thor moved first. He swept her up into a tight bear hug, taking in the smell of her hair and refusing to let go.

"Jane. Oh, Jane. I am so sorry." he whispered into her hair. Tears splashed down her face before she could stop herself and Jane wrapped her arms around his neck, returning the hug. She felt she couldn't speak and remained content to say nothing.

"I hope..." Thor said, finally drawing out of the hug but not letting her go. "That you can forgive me. Things have not been well in Asgard. My brother..."

Jane wiped her eyes and cheeks, sniffling and nodding. "No, no. It's okay. I forgive you." she replied. "You can't help it your brother's a little... well..." she trailed off, not sure how to politely put a word to Loki. Asshole or insane fit very well but she didn't want to upset Thor. Regardless, Thor got the message. He smiled anyways, stroking her hair.

"He is unwell, Jane. He wasn't always like this. I've come to bring him home, but we need the tesseract in order to return."

Jane furrowed her brows. "What happened? What about the Rainbow Bridge?"

A glimmer of sadness reached Thor's eyes. He bowed his head, his shoulders slumping. "I... I had to destroy the Bridge. Loki was using the Bifrost to destroy all of Jotunheim. The realm of the Frost Giants." he added. "Believe me when I say that if I could have stopped him in any other way, I would have. But-"

Jane reached up and put a small finger on his lips. "Shh... You did the right thing."

The distance between their lips closed in a few short seconds. Their kiss was soft but strong, with no need to part lips. They simply held each other, content to feel each other and feel the warmth of the kiss.

Someone cleared their throat, breaking the spell. Jane blushed and ducked her head, reluctantly releasing Thor and retaking her seat. Natasha's fingers flew across the keyboard and a large monitor flickered to life, showing Loki in a round glass cell of some sort. Fury stood by a console just at the edge of the frame and his voice suddenly could be heard throughout the room from the PA system.

"Let me make this clear to you." Fury said, flipping open something on the console. "If you so much as scratch that glass..." and he pressed a button. The roaring sound of wind was deafening and everyone at the table cringed (save for Natasha) as the sound was distorted by the gale. Jane could barely hear Fury shout over the wind.

"That's a thirty-thousand foot drop, straight into the ocean!"

Then Fury pressed something and the hatch beneath the glass cell closed. The wind died almost immediately and the sound returned to normal. Fury gestured to Loki.

"Ant." And then he gestured to the console. "Boot."

Loki simply chuckled, backing away from the edge of the cell.

"It's an impressive cage." he admitted. "Not built, I think, for me."

"Built for something a lot stronger than you." Fury shot back.

"Oh I've heard." Loki purred. He turned to look up at the camera, his eyes shining with a deadly mirth. "A mindless beast, makes play he's still a man."

At this, Natasha looked away from the monitor and eyed Dr. Banner. Bruce looked amused, a smirk crossing his face. Jane felt Thor tense up next to her. Like Dr. Banner, he had chosen to remain standing as well. Loki continued to speak and everyone returned their attention to the monitors.

"How _desperate_ are you?" Loki asked, his attention back on Fury. "To call on such lost creatures to defend you."

"How desperate am I?" asked Fury. He took a few strong steps towards the cell. "You threaten my world with war, you steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace and you kill 'cause it's fun."

He paused a foot away from the cell, shoulders squared. "You have made me _very_ desperate. You might not be glad that you did."

Loki tilted his head in a condescending manner. "Oooh... It burns you to have come so close..." He started taking a few steps back. "To have the tesseract... to have power. _Unlimited_ power... and for what?"

He paused just long enough for a smile to return and he turned to look back at the camera. It almost seemed as though he were no longer addressing Fury, but everyone in the aircraft.

"A warm light for all man-kind to share?"

Jane felt a shiver crawl up her spine at this. His voice had gone low and smooth. It made the back of her neck itch and she shuffled in her seat uncomfortably. Then Loki's smile was gone in the blink of an eye and he looked back at Fury, any and all mirth gone from his voice.

"And then to be reminded of what _real_ power is." he snapped.

Fury gave the god a penetrating one-eyed stare before smirking. "Well let me know if 'real power' wants a magazine or something." he retorted, and turned away.

The monitors went black. Jane leaned back in her seat, rubbing her arms. She looked up at Thor and was surprised to see he had turned away from the monitors. She could just make out enough of his profile to see he was deeply troubled.

"Thor?" Jane said quietly. He never got a chance to reply. Natasha was suddenly up and talking into her ear piece. Another agent, a woman with a severe looking expression and black hair tied back into a black bun approached them.

"Fury's on his way." Natasha said. The other agent gave a short nod but didn't move away from the table. Steve looked just as troubled as Thor and Dr. Banner was pacing along the edge of the table. Clearly Jane wasn't the only one who was unnerved by Loki's speech. A part of her felt some relief to know she wasn't alone in this anymore.

"A warm light for all man kind..." Steve murmured, mostly to himself. Jane got up from her seat again to stand by Thor's side. She softly put a hand on his muscled forearm, trying to keep eye contact. Thor kept looking away.

"Something's not lining up here. The guy just doesn't make sense." Steve finally said, looking up to Natasha and Dr. Banner. Bruce gave a small snort.

"Nothing about him has made sense from the start. His brain is like a bag full of cats, you can smell the crazy on him." he said, fiddling with his glasses. At this, Thor turned sharply back around to face him. He looked affronted.

"Have care how you speak. Loki is beyond reason but he is of Asgard. And he's my brother."

Natasha glanced up at Thor from her seat as she reply coolly. "He killed eighty people in two days."

Jane felt her stomach drop out. Eighty people? She felt like she was going to be ill. Thor shuffled his feet, arms crossed.

"He's... adopted."

Jane looked up sharply, staring at Thor. Adopted?! Okay, she thought, time to have a talk. No more staying in the dark. Jane prodded Thor gently, giving him one of her looks. At that moment, Fury marched into the bridge, followed closely by Stark who was already making one-sided small talk with the agents he passed. Fury took one look at Jane and rounded on the two female Agents.

"Get her _out_ of here. I said she could see him, not stick around and join the party." he snarled. Natasha swiftly stood, moving to Jane's side. "I'll show you to your quarters."

Jane sputtered, trying to latch onto Thor. "I'm not going anywhere!" she protested.

"Ms. Foster, please don't make this situation any more difficult than it is." barked Fury. "I'm sure you and Thor have some catching up to do but this is not the time."

Thor gently took Jane's hands and met her eyes, forcing a smile. "I will come by your quarters soon. Deal?"

Jane gave Thor a long, pleading look. However, Natasha had no intention of disobeying orders and grabbed her arm, ignoring the glare from Thor as she gave one of her own to the young scientist.

"Okay, okay! Fine!" Jane snapped. "I'm going. You don't have to drag me."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

There was no clock in her cramped room. Like everything else on the ship, it was made of steel with white furnishings and the dark-blue logo of S.H.I.E.L.D. stamped on various objects. Jane tried to make herself comfortable on the hard bunk bed. Her mood was rather sour. Natasha had said nothing when she showed her into the room. She was pretty sure the last two clicks she heard after the door slip shut were the locks. At least there was a small closet sized bathroom for her personal use.

Jane rolled over, glaring up at the mattress above her. Her trailer was much more comfortable than this. But perhaps that was because the trailer was also hers. Here, she had nothing. No spare cloths, not even her own toothbrush. If it wasn't for Thor, she'd be in a complete mental break down at this point. Loki was a creep, the agents were cold, and she didn't know Steve, Bruce or Tony that well. It didn't help that the latter two were were figures of legend in the scientific community either, as she felt completely out of their league.

Her mind was a racetrack of questions chasing each other with no end goal in sight. Her eyes fluttered shut and when she opened them again, Thor was standing at her bedside. Jane jumped a little and sat up. She must have fallen asleep.

"What time is it?" she said through a yawn.

"The sun is well above us and many of the people are joining together for something they call 'brunch'." Thor replied. He smiled, amused by the term 'brunch' but his smile didn't meet his eyes. He looked troubled. Jane threw her legs over the side of the bed and gave him a grim look.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" she asked, keeping her tone soft. Thor sighed and his gaze went to his boots.

"Fury has asked that what we have learned stay within the group." he said, clearly torn. Jane scowled.

"Thor, I want to help."

"And I do not wish to see you hurt. I want to tell you, truly. But perhaps Fury is right. Perhaps it is better if you did not know."

At this, Jane bristled. "Screw Fury." she snapped. "I am so sick of being side-lined here. I finally get the proof for my theories, for the Einstein-Rosen Bridge, and what do they do? They take it and leave me in the dark. Just like they took my equipment and my trailer and pretty much everything I've ever owned!"

Thor stared, bewildered. "They have taken your equipment again?"

"They... they moved it. That's the other thing, I'm sick of being moved around. I want to help and I know I can, I just..." she trailed off for a moment, her energy fading. "I... just don't know how."

Thor leaned down and gently took her hands. He pulled her up and into a hug.

"They wish to torture my brother." he whispered into her ear. "They wish to use me to get answers from him."

Jane felt a jolt run through her. No wonder Thor was so upset. It was obvious that he still loved Loki, despite all the crap the god of mischief had pulled recently. Jane returned the hug.

"I am so sorry." she whispered back. "It shouldn't have to come to that. It never should. Do you think there's any other way...?"

"I do not know. He will not listen to reason. Something... something has addled his mind. He has chosen Earth for more than the tesseract. He has made this very personal. He wishes to be King and yet he is trying to take everything I hold dear, simply in spite. When we were fighting on the Bifrost, he... he said when we were finished fighting, he would come find you. And I feared terribly of what he would do to you."

Jane tightened her hug, burrowing her head into the crook of his shoulder. She let Thor continue.

"He has made a dangerous deal, with whom I do not know. Father would not tell me. Loki has the tesseract so he can build a portal."

Loki's words came back to Jane. _Unlimited power..._

Jane drew back, peering up at Thor. "Do you think that's why he wants me? More than to get back at you?"

Thor suddenly hesitated. Pain shimmered in his eyes, the kind of pain someone had when there was a death in the family.

"He has Erik." Thor said after along minute.

It felt like a bucket of needles and ice had just been showered over Jane. Her limbs went numb and her arms fell back to her side. The room suddenly didn't have enough air.

"Jane?" Thor asked, holding her by the shoulders as she started to hyperventilate. "Jane, sit. Take deep breaths."

He forced Jane to sit at the edge of the bunk bed, then rushed around the tiny room looking for water. He found a glass in the bathroom and quickly filled it up, pressing it into Jane's shaking hands. She took a few sips, most of the water spilling down her front. After a few minutes and an empty glass, Jane felt her panic turn into a simmering pool of hate in her gut.

"I want to talk to him."

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"Absolutely not!" Fury snapped. "And considering how fast things are getting around here, I'm going to fly you to the middle of Africa if I have to!"

Jane flushed, her eyes blazing. "He has Erik! I want to know where he's keeping him!"

"And so do we, Ms. Foster. But as of yet, he's been less than inclined to talk about the weather, let alone what his plans are!" Fury shot back.

"He is right, Jane. Loki refuses to speak to me as well." Thor replied.

"No offense Thor, but Loki kind of hates you right now." Jane said, failing at keeping any calm in her voice. Thor looked hurt.

"It could be possible that he might let slip something if both were there together." Natasha pipped up. "If he's jealous at what Thor has..."

Fury shot Natasha a look. Natasha offered a half shrug. "Jealousy can make a man do stupid things. Or in this case, say things. None of our other tactics have been working either."

Fury leaned back in his seat, rubbing his temples before fixing a cold stare on Jane. "Agent Romanoff, I want you in there with them." he finally said after a moment. Jane's heart did a flip. It was a yes, even if it meant having Natasha with them, but it was a yes she wasn't going to argue with.

The plan was simple – If Loki was making things personal, keep them personal. Fury and the others would listen in over the system for any hints or clues Loki might drop during the conversation. There was also the mention of someone called 'Barton'. Jane noticed that even the stoic Natasha seemed to twitch at this name. Agent Coulson and some other well armed men agreed to stay on the other side of the door, just as a precaution.

"You have fifteen minutes." Agent Coulson informed them as they approached the entrance to the cell room. "Good luck."

The door slid open and Jane stepped in after Thor into a sterile white room with a large, round glass cell in the center. Loki was pacing like a restless cat in the center of his cell. He paused when the door closed behind Natasha. His emerald eyes were like chips of ice as he stared at Thor, a smirk on his face.

"Well this is a little unexpected." he said, his voice echoing through the glass. "And I see you have brought your harem with you this time. Planning on sharing, _brother_?"

Jane stepped forward before Thor could stop her. "Where's Erik?" she snarled. Natasha put a hand on Jane's shoulder and forced her back behind her. Loki snickered.

"Dr. Selvig?" He hmm'd for a second. "Even I do not know."

"Liar." Jane hissed. Loki grinned and bowed.

"God of Lies and Mischief." he reminded, his tone mocking. His gaze focused on Natasha and he paced up to the edge of the glass.

"And you..." He eyed Natasha. "Are you the latest attempt Fury can think of?"

"We're just here to talk, Loki." she responded, keeping her cool with ease.

"Ah. Of course. The gesture of goodwill, the soothing balm for all the tortures Fury tried." his sarcasm was as clear as day. Natasha narrowed her eyes. Jane tried to step forward again but Thor grabbed her. Loki's attention snapped back on them for a moment. He was amused.

"There's more than just Dr. Selvig in this." Natasha continued, forcing Loki to look back at her. "I want to know what you did to Agent Barton."

"I'd say I've... expanded his mind. And Selvig's." Loki replied. Jane let out a low growl. Natasha ignored her and she stepped up to the glass, folding her arms.

"So once you're King, what will you do to their minds?" she asked. This thought had never occurred to Jane. The idea that Loki would win was beyond fathom and an idea she refused to dwell on. However, Natasha had her interest and she went silent, watching and listening. Even Thor tensed up, his attention completely focused on the agent and his brother.

Loki, however, titled his head and mimicked the crossing of her arms. "You say 'their'... but your interest in Barton is far more than that of Selvig. An interest, I dare say, maybe love?"

Jane dared a peek at Natasha. She felt some growing sympathy for the woman. Perhaps the two had more in common than she thought.

"Love is for children, I owe him a debt." Natasha smoothly countered. Loki dropped his arms and wandered back to the bench at the far side of the cell.

"Enlighten us. Clearly I'm not the only one here who's interested." he said, gesturing to Thor and Jane. Natasha blinked, not even looking back at the other two. She almost seemed hesitant to say anything. Natasha dropped her arms as well and found a steel chair to sit in.

"Before I worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. , I..." she paused, looking between Loki, Thor and Jane. "Well, I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skill set and I didn't care who I used it for... or on."

Jane's blood ran cold. Never mind the idea of having anything in common with this woman; they were nothing alike. What was Natasha doing? Why tell them this? Jane looked to see how Loki was reacting and wasn't surprised to see he looked like he was having a great time. It was disgusting, if a little unnerving. Then it dawned on Jane what Natasha was doing.

"I got on S.H.I.E.L.D. 's radar in a bad way." Natasha continued. "Agent Barton was sent to kill me." Another flicker of hesitance and for an instance warmth entered the hard agents eyes. "He made a different call."

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Loki turned his eyes to Jane.

"And what of you?" he asked. "What is Selvig to you?"

Jane licked her dry lips, taking a daring step forward towards the cell. Her turn. "Erik is my mentor. He was... He was there for me after my father died. He helped me get the scholarships I needed to stay in school. He supported me with the Einstein-Rosen Bridge theory. He... he helped me discover your people."

Suddenly, Loki was chuckling. "And what would you two do if I vowed to spare them."

That got everyones attention. Jane felt her breath catch and Thor's grip tightened slightly on her shoulder. Natasha tilted her head up, leaning forward in her seat. "Not let you out, that's for sure."

Loki's chuckling went into raw laughter. "Oh... I like this." he purred. "Your world is hanging in the balance and you two would bargain for only two men? For Agent Barton and Selvig? Not even for Thor?"

Jane felt her throat clench. She'd give anything to see Erik safe and out of this mad god's grip. Anything. But... the world? She... she didn't know... And Thor? She looked up at the god of thunder, unsure of what to say.

Natasha spoke instead.

"Regime's fall every day. I tend not to weep over that, I'm Russian. Or I was."

Loki's attention fixated on Natasha, his eyes glittering with sparks of insanity. "And what are you now?"

Natasha got to her feet. "I can't speak for her. I'll bet Jane's a clean sheet with very little to worry about." Jane flinched. "But me? I've got red in my ledger. I'd like to wipe that out."

"Can you?" crowed Loki. "Can you wipe out _that_ much red? Drakoff's daughter..."

Finally Thor spoke up. He seemed to have recognized something.

"Loki, don't-"

"Quiet, brother." Loki snapped. His voice flipped from smooth and delighted to cold and hateful in less than a second. He got off the bench and started towards the glass, an aura of violence seething from him. Jane started to back away, terrified.

"Solohov... the hospital fire...? Barton told me _everything. _Your ledger is dripping, _gushing_ red and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything?" Loki growled. Thor shoved Jane behind him, his hammer in his hand.

"Brother, stop this!"

Loki ignored him. Jane noticed Natasha's cold mask was cracking. She looked almost as terrified as Jane felt.

"This! This is a baseless sentimentality, this is a _child's prayer! _Pathetic!"

Thor looked in shock at his brother as Loki continued on his rant.

"You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers. You pretend to be separate, to have your own code... Something that makes up for the horrors. But they're apart of you, and they will never go away." For one second his voice had returned to its normal soft tones.

Loki's fist slamming on the glass made everyone jump, even Natasha. Jane even gave a small gasp, her hand covering her mouth as she watched. Thor was heading for the door, trying to block everything out.

"I'm not going to touch Barton, not until I make him kill you. Slowly. Intimately. In _every _way he knows you fear."

Jane felt like she was going to be sick. Natasha looked completely shell-shocked and horrified.

"And then he'll wake just long enough to see his good work. And when he screams, I'll split his skull!"

Natasha at this point had to turn away. Her eyes were tear filled and she looked just as pale as Jane. Jane on the other hand had to swallow what bile had managed to reach her throat. She took a few deep breaths before screaming at Loki.

"You're sick!"

Loki rounded on Jane. "If you think this is sick, I doubt you'll like what I have in store for you. At least you're more useful than this mewling quim."

"You're a monster." Natasha sobbed. Loki's lips curled into a sneer and he breathed a dark laugh.

"Oh no... you brought the monster."

The door opened. Thor stood by the frame, looking at his brother with a sorrowful expression of disbelief. He was speechless. Men started to file in, weapons in hand but not aimed at the glass. Not yet, anyways. Coulson entered last. However, Natasha's crippled mask snapped back to something cold and unfeeling. She turned around, giving Loki a curious look with no tears in her eyes. It was like the conversation never even happened.

"So. Banner. That's your play." she said. Coulson suddenly went pale. Jane looked between Natasha and Loki, confused. Loki seemed to be just as confused as she was. His brow furrowed.

"What?"

Natasha turned to Coulson. "He means to unleash the Hulk. Keep Banner in the lab, we need to get there. Now."

Coulson nodded and gestured to Jane and Thor for them to follow. Jane was happy to leave the room and put as much distance between herself and Loki as possible. Another worry crept into her mind. What did Natasha mean by "unleash the Hulk"? She looked over her shoulder to see Natasha pause by the door.

"Thank you... for your cooperation." she said to Loki, who had gone back to pacing the cell, very much agitated.

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End file.
